If you have an outdoor porch, you likely already enjoy the benefits it offers. On a mild, sunny weekend, you can read a book and bask in the beautiful weather. While the advantages of enjoying time outdoors are nearly endless, your time spent on the porch can be interrupted by weather and bugs. If you have an outdoor patio or porch you enjoy but don’t like the exposure to bugs and harsh weather, we encourage you to transform your current porch into a screen porch you can enjoy most days of the year. In this article, we’ll speak to the benefits a screen porch offers before we guide you on how to build a screen porch that suits your budget and taste. If you don’t have a porch yet, a professional screen porch builder can create the perfect one for you.
4 Benefits a Screen Porch Offers
If you’re on the fence about whether you should enhance your Raleigh, NC home with a screen porch, these top benefits just might entice you to make the move. Not only are screen porches practical for enjoyment purposes, but you can squeeze in more time outdoors when you have protection over your head. The following screen porch ideas will help you discover all the benefits a screen porch has to offer.
A Screen Porch Increases the Value of Your Home
Like most home improvement jobs, an attractive addition or change to your home increases its value. Whether you’re planning on selling your home in the future or simply want to increase its value for investment purposes, a screen porch is a modern feature that provides a comforting space for families to spend time together. A prominent, aesthetic screen porch not only enhances the look of your home, but it adds to the square footage of your home which is very important when considering your home’s value.
A Screen Porch Protects You from Bugs
Raleigh homeowners know that bugs, especially mosquitos, are annoying and pesky deterrents that limit your time outside. Imagine you come home from work after a stressful day and head outside to enjoy your outdoor porch but you are immediately deterred by annoying bugs. A screen porch prohibits bugs from ruining your time outdoors as they cannot enter through the tiny holes in the screen.
A Screen Porch Provides Sun Protection
In addition to protecting yourself from bugs, a screen porch shields you from the weather. If you want to enjoy time outside but it’s a bit too hot, a screen porch offers the perfect solution. You can even add a fan to your screen porch to keep yourself cool while you enjoy time in the outdoor elements. In short, you don’t have to let a hot and humid summer day prohibit you from enjoying time outside. In addition, the Raleigh area is known for its summer thunderstorms. When you have a screen porch, you can enjoy time reading or eating a meal even when the weather is inclement.
Host Dinner Parties on Your Screen Porch
The warm months provide plenty of opportunities for families and friends to come together and enjoy one another’s company. Whether you want to host a dinner party, celebrate the Fourth of July, or host a potluck for your friends, a screen porch is the perfect place to host a gathering. Not only does this allow you to spend time outdoors, but everyone can enjoy the fresh air and play games outside as well. It’s a win-win!
How to Build a Screen Porch
Whether you have an outdoor porch you want to turn into a screen porch, or you want to have a brand new screen porch built, the following paragraphs will help you create the ultimate outdoor oasis. Let’s dive into guiding you through how to build a screen porch.
Measure the dimensions of the porch and buy the tools and materials you need
The first step is to plan out your new porch design. You’ll then need to obtain a permit for the city/town you reside in. Once you have your plan and approved town permit, you’ll want to purchase the necessary tools and materials. You will need an arsenal of tools including a saw, compressor, nail guns, drill, sawzall, power cords, air hose, pry bars, and more! You’ll need to buy and haul large stacks of various wood, from 2 x 4’s to 2 x 10’s depending on the size of your porch.
How to build your screen porch
You’ll begin by removing your existing deck/structure and dispose of large amounts of debris. Then you’ll need to prepare the house walls for the new deck attachment. You’ll also need to dig large footing holes in the post locations. Once you have dug the holes, you’ll need to pour concrete and let it cure. When you’re ready to start construction, you’ll need help holding heavy boards as you construct the deck floor system. Once you have built the deck subfloor, you’ll need to install the decking, preferably by screw installation. Then it’s time to work your way up and install the roof support posts. Then you’ll build the roof header system. Once you have done that you can cut the rafters and install them on top of the headers. You’ll then sheet the roof and install the shingles. The boxing comes next and you’ll want to match the boxing to your house’s. Then install the railing per code. It will need to be 36” high. Depending on your desired ceiling trim, you may need a professional to help you with this step as ceiling trim outs can be one of the tougher portions of the project and one of the most important. Although it’s feasible to build your own screen porch, it can be much more relaxing to have a trusted screen porch builder do all the work for you! After all, there’s nothing more frustrating than measuring your dimensions and purchasing all the materials just to discover it won’t quite work.
Request Assistance from a Professional Screen Porch Builder
While building your own screen porch is rewarding, it takes a huge amount of effort, time, the right tools, and an immense amount of skill and knowledge. Even if you’re confident in your abilities, just one wrong measurement can lead to frustration and a screen porch that isn’t suitable for use. If you’ve run into a roadblock while building your screen porch and need professional assistance, our screen porch builders are available to help! If you haven’t started your screen porch building project yet, contact our professional screen porch building team today. We pride ourselves on reliable, trustworthy service that you can enjoy for years to come. We invite you to give us a call today or fill our out form to request a quote.
